Rabbinic Amulets

Reeds that are near a town have no fewer than sixty demons. A certain town official went and relieved himself among the reeds and was endangered. A certain sage came and wrote him an amulet for one demon. He did not know that there were [in fact] sixty demons among the reeds. He heard them rejoicing in it [in the reeds] and singing: “Master’s scarf is like that of a certain scholar, but we have examined him and he does not know [how to say] ‘blessed [are you].’” One who knew that there were sixty demons among the reeds came and wrote an amulet for them. He heard them [the demons] say: “Remove yourselves from here, sixty demons.”

Source: Jewish Theological Seminary of America, New York, MS 9035

Translated by Simcha Gross and Avigail Manekin.